Second Chance
by Sharon Doyle
Summary: What's in the envelope?


Title: Second Chance.  
  
Started: 4th August 2002 Finished: 4th August 2002  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine! Genre: Romance Rating: G Summary: What's in the envelope?  
  
Author's Notes: For two people who have been hassling me to write another fic. It's just a piece of trivial fluff I thought of around 5.30 this morning.  
  
  
  
***  
  
  
  
As the wind howled around the tiny watch house, Tess desperately tried to get comfortable. All night, she'd tossed and turned and now the whistling of the wind was keeping her from sleeping. At some stage during the long night she'd crawled from her bed, padding softly to the window, closing it in a vain attempt to quell some of the noise. Looking once again at the tiny red numbers on her small clock, Tess realised it had only been five minutes since she last glanced over at it. The red numbers were the only illumination, and cast an eerie glow over the small room.  
  
On a normal day Tess knew she would be just about ready to get up and get ready for work. A rare weekend off, two whole days to herself, a weekend she should have been looking forward to, a weekend that just wasn't meant to be.  
  
Snuggling further under the blue doona that covered her bed, in an attempt to shut out the world, Tess' thoughts turned in a direction she'd rather they didn't. She wondered who he'd be taking to the concert now. Obviously not Becky! She couldn't help but wonder whether he'd take 'her' whoever she was, to the hotel, the same hotel he'd planned to take her to.  
  
It had sounded incredibly romantic, a weekend in Melbourne, nice hotel, just the two of them. A BB King concert, he knew her so well, knew what she liked. Tess had wanted to say no, her head had told her that it was the right thing to say, but his disappointed tone that night in the pub and her heart had taken control.  
  
Realising the futility of trying to sleep, her mind awhirl with rampaging thoughts, Tess crawled form her bed, grabbing her jumper from where she'd left it folded it neatly on the end of her bed, the night before. Reaching the front door, she quickly pulled back the curtain from the front window, checking the weather before venturing outside to grab the newspapers from the letterbox.  
  
Dumping the papers on the table Tess turned, oblivious to the envelope that fluttered to the floor to lay half hidden underneath the sofa, to turn the kettle on. Coffee, she needed coffee if she had any hope of getting through the rest of the day. As the weather continued to rage around the watch house, Tess nursed her third coffee in thirty minutes as she perused the paper. On caffeine overload and noting the rain had abated for the time being, Tess, changed into some leggings, grabbing her coat from the hat stand by the door, she headed outside for a brisk walk.  
  
An hour later and Tess was back in the warmth, half way through her walk, the heavens had opened and pelted her with hail, sheltering under a tree as best she could, Tess could only think of what might have been had she gone to Melbourne. She didn't need to think too much about what they would have been doing, that would have been a foregone conclusion. Throwing her wet clothes straight into the washing machine, Tess hurried through the house and jumped into a hot shower. Once again Tess could only think of what she'd lost, what her pride had cost her, what her fear had cruelly dictated she do without.  
  
Deciding inactivity was only going to fuel her already vivid mind wanderings, Tess began cleaning the house. Filling the washing machine, she turned the knobs and set it on the appropriate wash cycle. To stifle the sound of the machine, she cranked up the volume of a CD. Gathering together the mornings papers Tess tidied first the small kitchen, then began the vacuuming. Nearing the end of her tasks, she pushed the sofa against the wall to get to the rubbish that accumulated beneath it on a regular basis. Noticing an envelope, Tess crouched down to pick it up, plain and white with simply "Tess" scrawled on the front. She stuffed into the pocket of her jeans before finishing her work.  
  
Sitting down with yet another cup of coffee, Tess reached into her pocket and drew out the now crumpled envelope. Pushing her thumb underneath the flap at the back she ripped it open. A small piece of paper accompanied the BB King concert ticket Jonesy had teasingly held in front of her eyes only a week ago. The words, "I'll be waiting!" adorned the scrap of paper.  
  
It didn't take Tess long to decide what to do, all morning she'd regretted her decision to call off their date. All night, thoughts of Jonesy ravaged her sleep, all night she'd asked so many what if's. Quickly throwing a few things into a bag, Tess made the three-hour journey down to Melbourne.  
  
***  
  
Tess scanned the large sea of assembled people, hoping to see him before the concert started. Clutching the ticket in her hand she stood against a wall waiting for the doors to open.  
  
"I'm glad you're here."  
  
Tess felt the warmth of his breath near her ear, her pulse racing, she turned to stare into his eyes. They both stood grinning at each other before Jonesy held opened his arms, Tess stepped into his embrace wrapping her arms around his waist, "Me too," she whispered. 


End file.
